Lucidly written by a leading biblical scholar, this balanced, engaging,and up-to date introduction to the Hebrew scriptures distills the best ofcurrent scholarship. Employing the narrative chronology of the Bible itself andthe history of the ancient Near East as a framework, author Michael Coogancovers all the books of the Hebrew Bible, along with the deuterocanonical booksincluded in the Bible used by many Christians. He treats every book of the canonwith careful attention to its historical context, its particular genre, and itsdistinctive features. Dealing in detail with ancient Near Eastern sources andarchaeological data, Coogan works from a primarily historical and criticalmethodology but also introduces readers to literary analysis and otherinterpretive strategies, especially current ones. The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the HebrewScriptures is enhanced by a glossary, timelines, photos, illustrations, maps,and a four-color insert on Jerusalem in biblical times. Strategically placedboxes address issues that often puzzle readers of the Bible, provide models ofinterpretation of particular texts, and discuss their significance for Judaismand Christianity. Each chapter includes key terms, questions for review anddiscussion, and suggestions for further reading. Providing a non-denominationaland non-doctrinal treatment, The Old Testament is accessible to students of allbackgrounds. It offers a unique and captivating introduction to the Hebrewscriptures themselves and to how they have been--and can be--interpreted.

The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures, Second Edition continues to be a balanced, engaging, and up-to-date introduction to the Hebrew scriptures, which distills the best of current scholarship. Employing the narrative chronology of the Bible itself and the history of the ancient Near East as a framework, author Michael D. Coogan covers all the books of the Hebrew Bible, along with the deuterocanonical books included in the Bible used by many Christians. He treats every book of the canon with careful attention to its historical context, its particular genre, and its distinctive features. Working in detail with ancient Near Eastern sources and archaeological data, Coogan works from a primarily historical and critical methodology but also introduces readers to literary analysis and current interpretive strategies.

Engaging and accessible to students from all backgrounds, A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament: The Hebrew Bible in Its Context, Second Edition, is an updated, concise, and more pedagogical version of Michael D. Coogan's best-selling The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures, Second Edition (OUP, 2010). Coogan works primarily from a historical and critical methodology but also introduces students to literary analysis and other interpretive strategies. He examines all the books of the Hebrew Bible and considers additional writings from the ancient Near East. The Apocryphal / Deuterocanonical books are included in an appendix. Providing a nondenominational and nondoctrinal treatment, this text offers a unique and captivating introduction to the Hebrew scriptures themselves and to how they have been--and can be--interpreted. PEDAGOGICAL FEATURES: * Chapter introductions connecting each chapter to the preceding material and previewing the material to come * Chapter summaries that highlight key points and link each chapter to the rest of the book * Important terms, boldfaced at their first appearance and defined in the glossary * Numerous strategically placed text boxes that offer interesting and useful supplementary information * Timelines, photos, illustrations, maps, and a four-color insert on Jerusalem in biblical times * Review questions, suggestions for further reading, a general bibliography, and annotated bibliographies at the end of each chapter * A FREE 6-month subscription to Oxford Biblical Studies Online (www.oxfordbiblicalstudies.com)--a $180 value--with the purchase of every new copy of this text. Please contact your Oxford University Press Sales Representative at 800.280.0280 for details.

Teach your students how to read the Hebrew Bible and mine the rich Biblical text for significant literary, historical, and thematic meanings with this bestselling introduction to the Old Testament. Written by leading scholar Barry Bandstra, READING THE OLD TESTAMENT: INTRODUCTION TO THE HEBREW BIBLE, Fourth Edition combines engaging, conversational prose, visual elements such as maps, timelines and artwork, and innovative technology. The book actively applies recent literary, rhetorical, and structural studies that shed light on art, design, coherence, characterization, theme, and other literary features of the Hebrew Bible. Marginal call-outs connect the text to technology resources for the strong Old Testament introduction your students need. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

This Very Short Introduction provides a short, accessible overview for general readers interested in learning more about the Old Testament and its interpretation. Coogan explores the significance of the history and literature of the Old Testament and describes how non-biblical evidence, such as archaeological data and texts, has illuminated the Old Testament in a larger context. Coogan discusses law in the Bible, particularly the Ten Commandments and the biblical understandings of prophecy, myth, exodus, death, and afterlife. Finally, Coogan discusses the enduring significance of the Old Testament.

Eminent biblical scholar Michael D. Coogan offers here a wide-ranging and stimulating exploration of the Old Testament, illuminating its importance as history, literature, and sacred text. Coogan explains the differences between the Bible of Jewish tradition (the "Hebrew Bible") and the Old Testament of Christianity, and also examines the different contents of the Bibles used by Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, and Protestants. He looks at the rise of modern biblical scholarship as well as the recovery of ancient Near Eastern literatures and their significance for biblical interpretation. Coogan explores the use of invented dialogue and historical fiction in the Old Testament, the presence of mythic elements in apparently historical accounts, and the relationship of ancient Israelite myths to those of their neighbors. The book considers the Old Testament's idea of divine justice, especially in Ecclesiastes and Job, and looks at notions of the afterlife in the ancient Near East and in ancient Israel. Coogan highlights the significance of the history and literature of the Old Testament and describes how non-biblical evidence, such as archaeological data and texts, has placed the Old Testament in a larger and more illuminating context. The book also discusses law and ritual in the Bible as well as the biblical understandings of prophecy. Here then is a marvelous overview of one of the great pillars of Western religion and culture, a book whose significance has endured for thousands of years and which remains vitally important today for Jews, Christians, and Muslims worldwide. About the Series: Oxford's Very Short Introductions offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, and Literary Theory to History. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given topic. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how it has developed and influenced society. Whatever the area of study, whatever the topic that fascinates the reader, the series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.

What do you think the Bible says? How does the way the Bible is written affect its meaning? Here is a concise introduction that invites you to interact with the primary text. Interspersed with brief explanations of biblical background and writing techniques are thought-provoking questions about specific readings with space provided for response. This user-engaging approach is enhanced by its sensitivity to readers across the spectrum of belief, from atheist to devout believer. So whether you come to the subject to satisfy historical interest or to appreciate the artistry of Scripture, Approaching the Bible as Literature will deepen your understanding.

In the fully revised and expanded edition. Nickelsburg introduces the reader to the broad range of Jewish literature that is not part of either the Bible or the standard rabbinic works. This includes especially the Apocrypha (such as 1 Maccabees), teh Pseudepigrapha (such as 1 Enoch), the Dead Sea Scrolls, the works of Josephus, and works of Philo.

The Hebrew Bible, or Christian Old Testament, contains some of the finest literature that we have. This biblical literature has a place not only in the synagogue or the church but also among the classics of world literature. The stories of Jacob and David, for instance, present the earliest surviving examples of literary characters whose development the reader follows over the length of a lifetime. Elsewhere, as in the books of Esther or Ruth, readers find a snapshot of a particular, fraught moment that will define the character. The Hebrew Bible also provides quite a few high points of lyric poetry, from the praise and lament of the Psalms to the double entendres in the love of poetry of the Song of Songs. In short, the Bible can be celebrated not only as religious literature but, quite simply, as literature. This book offers a thorough and lively introduction to the Bible's two primary literary modes, narrative and poetry, foregrounding the nuances of plot, character, metaphor, structure and design, and intertextual allusions. Tod Linafelt thus gives readers the tools to fully experience and appreciate the Old Testament's literary achievement. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

In ancient religion and societies the concept of purity was of central importance; in many modern societies it is either irrelevant or, when it is used, attached to extremely conservative agendas. This suggests an interesting story to be told within the history of ideas and, at the same time, raises questions about the place, meaning, and use of purity in religious traditions. What does purity mean in different scriptural contexts? Is it synonymous with holiness or different? How has it been used within various strands of theology? What should we make of it today? Have we moderns, by discarding purity as an organizing social form, lost something essential or made a significant moral advance? Or both? This volume begins to address these questions in essays on biblical genres and books and different theological traditions. Accessibly written and incisive in its scholarship, it will be of interest to both specialists and nonspecialists alike.

The study investigates the book of Ezekiel as literature of survival. Based upon a multi-faceted trauma hermeneutics the peculiarities as well as the inconsistencies of the book are shown to be material aspects of a fictionalised trauma process in the context of Israel's siege warfare and mass deportation experiences in the early 6th century b.c.e. - Die vorliegende Studie analysiert das Ezechielbuch als fiktionale Überlebensliteratur. Über eine mehrdimensionale Trauma-Hermeneutik macht sie dessen Befremdlichkeiten und vermeindliche Inkohärenzen als wesentliche Momente der literarisch-theologischen Auseinandersetzung mit dem Gewaltpotential der Exilskatastrophe 587/86 v.u.Z. (be-)greifbar.

This is a collection of ancient Near Eastern texts relevant to the study of the Old Testament. The texts have been selected from the vast body of written materials in many different languages and in a variety of media from the ancient Near East (including Egypt) from the third millennium bce to the turn of the era.
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